Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Our All American Soiree

Summertime holidays are super cool! We are ready to BBQ, swim, squint at the sunshine, and watch fireworks in the dark air. We celebrated with family and friends, a little baker's dozen of people, at my parent's home.

A little adorable sign I made with chalk ink
giving directions to all the fun

No event is complete without my all time favorite (besides coke)...IZZE! Sparkling Blueberry was the perfect choice for the 4th.

Custom water bottle labels are super simple but add such a fun effect! I was extra excited to find MANY free printables online this year. (See bottom of post for reference)

I wanted to add some country charm to the festivities mixed with a littleretro love.

Colors of course were the RED, WHITE, and BLUE. Fresh flowers are a favorite!

To maintain the retro country look I desired, I used an antique watering pail for the centerpiece. The pinwheels the boys and I made last week were scattered throughout the decor too.

For the napkins, I did a simple roll and cut out festive paper strips to secure around the middle.

I used paper flag printables around the straws for a splash of fun.

For the six kids, I set a little table tailored for young ones. (I love how you can see the GRAND flag waving in the background!)

These stars and stripes paper plates were adorable! I prefer to use plastic or papergoods for children tables.

I set up a little toy box at the end of the table for the kids to play with...red, white, and blue style of course. {wink}It's always good to pause for a moment and try to see how a holiday looks through little eyes. Kids get so excited to find little special treats just for them! Because of this, I made treat pails for each plate. Every child got a flag (compliments of my mom). I filled it with candy, etc. The pail also served as a napkin and utensil holder.

Another thing that kids delight in is discovering their name! It's a great big world, and the children often get lost in the buzz of adults. The silent recognition of seeing their name assigned to a little spot makes them feel special! Personalization is one of my FAVORITE things!

Look at this adorable decor my Mom had! The candy jar matched the one on the cookbook cover. How cute is that?We were able to take only a Quick Dip in the pool between a break in the unfortunate weather. And Uncle Kyle gave the kids a ride in the Gator afterward.

We ended the night with the obvious: fireworks!

This is the first year Chris let the boys help with the fireworks. They were in seventh heaven.
My favorite part of the evening was the Retro Ice Cream Sundae bar! A few days before the 4th, I told the boys that I had a special surprise coming to THEM on 4th of July. I told them that the ice cream shop would be come to us....and it did!

Looks like so much fun. The looks on your boys' faces as they stand proudly by the box of fireworks is priceless. What is it with male species and fireworks? I cannot wait to see the ice cream sundae bar photos. The kids' treat pails were such a great idea. What a fun party. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

I am so going to crash one of your parties one of these days. You make every one feel so special and part of the celebration. The kids table is adorable. All the printables are so fun and I love the little flags on the straws. I'm happy you all had a wonderful 4th of July celebration with your family and friends.

HI LisaI must say again boy do you have an eye for detail. I love the kiddie table with all of the personlized items. The presentation you give is always perfect. The ice cream bar is my favorite. Thanks for sharing.

I love your attention to detail! Everywhere the eye goes there is a delightful detail to behold. I am sure that everyone felt very special. I have a watering can just like that. I need to get it on the table! Thanks for the inspiration.

You certainly created a special and memorable 4th for your family and friends! It is all so lovely and festive. You covered all of the little things that say you really care about your guests. I am sure it was a wonderful day.

Hi Lisa...your party looked off the hook awesome! I have been here before, not in a long time though...but I could never forget those beautiful blonde haired boys of yours!!~ Thanks for popping over, I would love to see you again. Debbie

Oh my!!! Just found your website through Tatertots and Jello (I think...I have been looking through your blog for so long this morning that I hope I got that right)...anwho, I LOVE IT!!! You rock MY socks!!!

Oh WOW! I found you through 504 Main and am impressed! That ice cream cone with the sprinkles looks so delicious, but my favorite part of your post is that gorgeous kitchen of yours and all your beautiful Longaberger baskets and accessories! :)

You amaze me every time I stop by for a visit. What a dazzling display of holiday food, fun, and festive decor! I love the way you do so much to make certain your children know how special they are. You're creating memories that last a lifetime (and will likely be passed on to future generations). Your mom's super-talented too! I see now where you get it! ;)

Okay ... we're coming to *your* house for the holiday !! The thought, creativity and love that went into creating such a beautiful day for your family is evident. LOVE the kiddos table and their pails filled with treats ... bookmarking that. My 5 year old son would love it. Precious family ... happy to now be following along. *Becca*

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I'm Lisa, I am passionate about the beauty of life. I'm a lover of the seasons and find happiness in all details. Entertaining, parties, and home decor energize me. My husband of 13 years is my ultimate best friend and my 3 boys make my heart smile daily. I love deeply, feel deeply, and live deeply.